HB3013 would require certain West Virginia movie theaters to make more showings accessible to people with disabilities. Specifically, exhibitors operating theaters in more than one location in the state would have to provide open captioning for at least two showings per week of each digital motion picture that is available with open captions. The bill also requires, when requested, audio description for digital motion pictures that are offered with audio description, and it requires each theater to have at least two audio description devices.
The bill includes several limits and exceptions. It would not require a theater to buy new equipment if doing so would create an undue burden or fundamentally alter the theater. The requirements would not apply to drive-in theaters, theaters with fewer than six screens, theaters without digital projection or without support for open caption files, movies shown fewer than eight times in a Friday-through-Thursday week, or movies more than 20 days after their premiere at that theater.
Impact
HB3013 would add a new section to West Virginia’s Motion Picture Fair Competition Act, creating accessibility obligations for qualifying movie theaters and expanding the statutory duties of exhibitors that operate multiple locations in the state. It would affect theater operators, moviegoers with hearing or vision disabilities, and the availability of open captioning and audio description in digital screenings. The bill also establishes statutory exceptions that limit compliance costs and narrow the theaters and showings covered.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support in the House, passing 91-8, suggesting generally favorable sentiment toward improving accessibility in movie theaters. The bill text itself frames the measure as a disability-access requirement rather than a broader regulatory change, and the inclusion of multiple exemptions indicates an effort to balance accessibility goals with operational burdens on theaters.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely the scope of the mandate and the burden on theater operators. The bill applies only to exhibitors with multiple locations and excludes smaller theaters, drive-ins, and theaters lacking compatible digital systems, which suggests concern about cost and feasibility. The undue-burden and fundamental-alteration language also indicates sensitivity to objections that compliance could require expensive equipment or operational changes. Supporters are likely disability-access advocates and patrons who rely on captions or audio description, while opponents or skeptics would most likely be theater owners and operators concerned about implementation costs and flexibility.